286 THE HORSE. 



I was then under the care of one of those parsons 

 made by that truly Rt. Hon. Richard Rigby, with 

 his twenty wives. It is not the least curious and 

 remarkable circumstance attending this celebrated 

 horse, that the stud groom, Bernard Smith, or some 

 one in the stables of the royal Duke, made a true 

 prognosis of his future superiority, whilst he was yet 

 a foal, and that Wildman should get scent of it, 

 which appears by his posting to the Duke's sale, for 

 the sole purpose of obtaining this yearling ; but being 

 too late, or rather that the sale had begun a few 

 minutes too early for the given notice, he insisted on 

 the colt's being put up again, when he became the 

 purchaser at a trifle beyond one hundred pounds. 

 If the high opinion of this colt arose from Marske 

 his presumed sire, it must be by virtue of his blood, 

 certainly not of either his performances as a racer, or 

 his then reputation as a stallion; it probably rather 

 arose from the form and apparent powers of the colt. 

 Always, so far as I was informed, previous to Mr. 

 Wildman, the sheep salesman becoming possessed of 

 Marske, it was admitted without dispute, that Eclipse's 

 dam, as is the common custom in racing studs, mis- 

 sing to Marske, was subsequently covered by Shake- 

 speare, which horse had at that period, left the north, 

 and was either in Norfolk or the vicinity of New- 

 market ; but the mare came to Marske's time, a cir- 

 cumstance, however, of such known uncertainty, as to 

 merit no dependence. The fact of this double cover 

 seems never to have been disputed, until Eclipse be- 

 came so celebrated, and that Wildman had got hold 

 of Marske, when doubtless it was a powerful interest 



